The present invention concerns vehicle shifters for shifting manual transmissions, and more particularly concerns a shifter having a shift lever and a lockout device for controlling movement of the shift lever into a reverse gear position.
Vehicle manufacturers have lockout mechanisms designed to prevent an operator from accidentally and unknowingly shifting a manual transmission into reverse while operating a vehicle. However, such mechanisms have typically included a linkage that is not fully integrated into the shift lever and that is not configured to function in a confined space limited to an area very close to the shift lever. Further, the components of such linkages often are usually designed for use only on a particular model of vehicle, and cannot be used on other vehicle models having different shift lever shapes without substantial modification or several new components.
Therefore, a linkage is desired solving the aforementioned problems and that is compact, simple, easy to assemble, and adaptable for different models and styles of vehicles without the need for a substantial number of new parts and components for each different model or style.